Foldable cardboard bottle carrier



Sept. 21, 1954 E. N. CASTLE 23,371

FOLDABLE CARDBOARD BOTTLE CARRIER Original Filed Jan. 10, 1950 IHWWHill! 4 BY E /W asilc' z i qq J HT'TORIYE'X Reissued Sept. 21, 195423,871 FOLDABLE CARDBOARD BOTTLE CARRIER Eli N. Castle, South Orange, N.J assignor to The Gardner Board and Carton 00., Middletown, Ohio, a.corporation of Ohio Original No. 2,586,301, dated February 19, 1952,

Serial No. 137,813, January 10, 1950. Application for reissue November28, 1952, Serial No.

16 Claims.

This invention relates to a bottle carrier and it is one object of theinvention to provide a carrier which is formed from a single blank orcardboard, or other suitable sheet material, and is of such constructionthat the blank may be folded [and] to form a carrier divided into bottlereceiving pockets by partitions extending longitudinally andtransversely of the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier wherein thelongitudinally extending partition is formed of sections which are[detachably] connected with each other and thus held in position forforming the longitudinal partition and also holding end [walls] wallforming [portions] sections of the blank in place across ends of thebottom wall of the carrier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a carrier having a bottomwall which is foldable transversely along a longitudinally extendingfold line, the carrier also having end [walls] wall sections andtransverse partitions which are [flexible] foldable so that [whenend'sections of the longitudinal partition are released from eachother,] the carrier may be collapsed to a flattened condition in whichits side walls, cross partitions and longitudinal partition are disposedin close face to face relation to each other.

Another object is to so form the carrier that [while] it may be disposedin either a folded or extended position. [it will be firmly held in theextended position and its parts-prevented from moving out of properrelation to each other] With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists of an improved construction and arrangement of parts,one practical embodiment of the invention being illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view looking down upon the blank from which the improvedbottle carrier is formed;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the carrier when partially formed;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the erected carrier;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, taken longitudinally through the carrieralong line 4-4 of Figure 3;

v Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view, taken along line 5-5 ofFigure 3; and

Figure 6 is a view showing a corner portion of the carrier inperspective with portions in section.

This improved bottle carrier is formed from the blank shown in Figure l,and referring to this figure, it will be seen that the blank has acenter portion l and side strips 2 and 3 [,the].

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent butforms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italicsindicates the additions made by reissue.

The side strips [having end portions] 2 and 3 provide the side walls 8of the carrier and have end extensions free from and projecting beyondthe ends of the center portion 1 [and the]. The strip 3 [havingextensions 4 disposed along their inner sides] has flaps 4 captured fromsheet material between adjacent end extensions and spaced from the endsof the center section I. The bottom wall forming center section iscreased longitudinally midway its width [to form a] by a bottomcollapsing fold line 5 [and along opposite side edges of the centersection are fold lines 6. The center section l forms the bottom] whichdefines the bottom half sections '1 of the carrier [and the side strips2 and 3 are foldable upwardly along the lines 6 to form side walls 8which]. The side wall sections 8 of the strips 2 and 3 are attached tothe bottom half sections 7 by fold lines 6 along opposite sides thereof.

[After the] The side strips [have been bent] 2 and 3 fold upwardly toform the side walls 8 [,1 and the free end [portions] extensions of thestrips [are folded] fold inwardly towards each other to form the endwall sections 9 [of end walls iii] of the carrier. [and inner ends of]The [the] free end [portions] extensions of the strips [are each] mayeach be formed with a plurality of transversely spaced parallel creasesl I so that the end [walls] wall sections 9 will be connected with theside walls 8 by arcuate corner portions l2 which follow the curvature ofthe rounded corners of the bottom wall sections '1.

[After forming] From the end [walls] wall sections 9, the ends of thestrips [are bent] fold inwardly along the fold lines I3 to form inwardlyextending longitudinal partition portions [which form] 10 and transversepartitions M for the carrier. [These partitions are each formed with aplurality of] Each longitudinal partition portion 10 may be joined tothe transverse partition 14 by one or more transversely spaced creases15 so that [their inner end portions] the paired longitudinal partitionportions 10 may be disposed parallel and in close face to face relationto each other and the companion transverse partitions 14 then [curved]folded away from each other [and] to extend transversely of the carriertowards the side walls 8. [Outer] The outer ends of the transversepartitions 14 are bent along fold lines IE to form [lips] flaps l1 andthese [lips] flaps are glued or otherwise secured against the innerfaces of the side walls 8. Since the [partitions] partition portions 10and '14 are creased [to form the] by the fold lines [i5] .13, 15 and 16,they may be moved from an extended position to a folded position inwhich they extend longitudinally of the carrier and [are disposed flatagainst the corner forming portions of the side strips] in-parallelrelation to the side walls 8. The partition forming [portions]extensions of the side strip 2 [are] may be out along arcuate lines IEto form tongues l9 [and these tongues are] which may be glued orotherwise [securely] fastened against inner faces of the end wallforming [portions] sections 9 of the strip 3 so that the two end wallsections 9 will be firmly held in meeting relation to each other.

[Before the end portions] The end extensions of the side strips 2 and 3are bent to form the end wall sections 9, the longitudinal partitionportions 10 and the transverse partitions i4, and the flaps 4 are foldedupwardly to complete the longitudinal partition 24 of the carrier. Eachof the flaps l of the strip .3 are [bent along the fold lines whichextend between inner ends of the flaps and inner ends of slits 2|extending from outer ends of panels 4 to the inner ones of. thetransversely extending creases i5, and when] connected by a fold line 20to the adjacent longitudinal partition portion 10 of the strip 3 but isotherwise separated from the adjacent transverse partition 14 by a slit21. When these flaps 4 are bent upwardly along the fold lines 20, theywill be disposed longitudinally of the carrier [and] to provideadditional longitudinal partition parts and will have their outer end.portions disposed between the parallel [end portions of the transversepartitions] longitudinal partition portions 10 with which they areassociated. The

[inner parallel end] paired longitudinal partition portions [of thetransverse partitions] are glued [against] to opposite side faces of theouter ends of the [fiaps, and it should be noted that] adjacentlongitudinal partition parts 4. The [inner] outer ends of thelongitudinal partition forming flaps [are] 4 may be bent along foldlines 22 to form lips or tongues 23 which are disposed fiat against sidefaces of the flaps [and] to serve as reinforcements for ends of [a] thelongitudinal partition 24 [which has end sections 25] as formed by thetwo flaps l [J and the paired longitudinal partition portions 10.

Tongues 26 [are] may be cut from the flaps [to provide the free innerends of the partition sections 25.] 4 to connect them. The tongues ofthe two partition [sections] parts 4 extend in directions opposite toeach other and when the partition [sections 25] parts 4 are grasped bytheir free inner ends, the tongues may be passed through openings 21formed by the tongues and the tongues then disposed in overlapping andinterlocked engagement with each other [and thus cause the two sections25 to form a] to complete the longitudinal partition extending the fulllength of the carrier. When the tongues are released from each other,the bottom half sections 1 may be folded along the line 5 and thetransverse partitions 14 will be flattened and the side walls 8 moved toa position in close proximity to each other. The carrier may also becollapsed, when the parts 4 of the longitudinal partition 24 remainpermanently connected, by shifting the longitudinal partition 24 endwiseof the carrier, whereupon the bottom half sections 7 will fold along thebottom collapsing fold 5, the transverse partitions 14 will be flattenedand the side walls 8 will be moved to a position in close proximity toeach other, The carrier [will] can thus be folded and collapsed to aflat mass and a number of the collapsed carriers stacked upon a shelf ina store or wrapped for shipment by a manufacturer. [The slots 28register and] Slots 28 which fall into registry may be cut in the flaps4, lips 23 and longitudinal partition portions 10 to thereby formopenings through which portions of a handle may be engaged and thusallow the carrier to be lifted and conveniently carried from one placeto another.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved[device] carrier the operation thereof and the method of assembly willbe readily understood, and it will be seen that I have provided acomparatively simple, inexpensive and eflicient means for carrying outthe various objects of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A carrier comprising a bottom, side walls united with opposite sideedges of said bottom and having end portions free from the bottom andextending longitudinally therefrom and bent towards each other acrossends of the bottom and meeting midway the width of the bottom andforming end walls of the carrier, the said free portions of the wallsbeing bent inwardly at their intersection with each other and formingpartitions bent transversely of the bottom and secured at their ends toinner faces of the side walls, the said partitions having tongues cuttherefrom and secured against portions forming the end walls, and thepartition-forming portions at one side having extensions along theirinner sides partially severed therefrom and bent upwardly and formingend portions of a longitudinal partition, the said side extensionshaving outer ends secured between ends of the transverse partitions andhaving inner ends cut to form tongues detachably engageable with eachother to releasably secure the said side extensions in overlappedpartition-forming engagement with each other, and said bottom beingfoldable transversely along a fold line midway its width to reduce thecarrier to a folded position disposing the transverse partitions and therear wall forming partitionslongitudinally of the carrier and inengagement with each other.

2. A collapsible carrier formed from a unitary blank of sheet materialhaving a central portion forming a bottom for the carrier, stripsextending longitudinally of the bottom and integrally united therewithalong opposite sides thereof and having free end portions extendingbeyond ends of the bottom, said strips being bent upwardly alongopposite sides of the bottom and forming side walls of the carrier andhaving their free end portions bent towards each other and forming endwalls of the carrier and then bent inwardly and forming extensionssecured to the side walls and forming transverse partitions, the endwall forming portions of one strip having tongues cut from them andsecured against inner faces of the end wall forming portions of theother strip, one strip having its end wall forming portions formed withtransverse extensions extending along their inner sides and partiallysevered therefrom and constituting flaps bent upwardly and securedbetween attached ends of the transverse portions and forming endsections of a longitudinal parti tion having inner ends cut to formtongues detachably connected in overlapping engagement with each otherand holding the longitudinal partition in place and thereby maintainingthe end wall portions in place across ends of the bottom.

3. A carrier formed of sheet material and comprising a. bottom, sidewalls extending upwardly along opposite side edges of said bottom andhaving free end portions folded towards each other and secured andforming end walls for the car ricr and then bent inwardly against eachother and having portions bent towards the side walls and secured attheir outer ends to the side walls and forming transverse partitions inthe carrier, flaps along side edges of the partition forming portions ofone side wall partially severed therefrom and bent upwardly and securedbetween the said partition-forming portions and having free inner endportions and carrying tongues interlocked and detachably holding theflaps in engagement with each other and thereby forming a longitudinalpartition in the carrier, and said bottom having a longitudinal foldline midway its width adapting the carrier to be flattened when theflaps are released from each other.

4. A carrier comprising a bottom, side walls projecting upwardly alongsides of said bottom, end walls formed of sections free from the bottomand extending towards each other from ends of said side walls andintegral therewith, and having extensions bent inwardly and extendinginto end portions of the carrier and secured at their ends to the sidewalls and forming transverse partitions in the carrier, the extensionforming one end wall portion at each end of the carrier being providedwith a tongue secured to the companion end wall portion and securing thecompanion end wall portions to each other, and flaps integral withbutpartially severed from one extension at each end of the carrier anddisposed longitudinally of the carrier between companion extensions,said flaps having inner ends detachably connected with each other andthcreby forming a longitudinal partition in the carrier.

5. A carrier comprising a bottom, side walls projecting upwardly alongsides of said bottom, end walls formed of sections extending towardseach other from ends of said side walls and integral therewith, andhaving extensions extending into end portions of the carrier and towardthe side walls secured at their ends to the side walls and formingtransverse partitions in the carrier, the extension forming one end wallportion at each end of the carrier being provided with a tongue securedto the companion end wall portion and securing the companion end wallportions to each other, and flaps integral with but partiall severedfrom one extension at each end of the carrier and disposedlongitudinally of the carrier between companion extensions and havingouter end portions folded inwardly and forming reinforcing strips, saidflaps having inner end portions formed with tongues interlocked witheach other and releasably holding the flaps in engagement with eachother and thereby forming a longitudinal partition in the carrier, andsaid strips and portions of the extensions at opposite sides thereofbeing formed with handle- 1'eceiving openings.

6. A one-piece bottle carrier blank formed from sheet material includinga. bottom wall, a pair of side walls foldably connected to the oppositeside edges of said bottom wall, a pair of adjacent spaced end extensionsprojecting from both ends of said side walls, each of said endextensions including an end wall section joldably connected to theadjacent and of the adjacent side wall, a longitudinal partition portionfoldably connected to the end wall section and a. cross partitionfoldably connected to the longitudinal partition seclion, and a pair oflongitudinal partition parts each extending into the areabetween thelongitudinal partition portions and cross partitions of the adjacentpair of spaced end extensions and having a width substantially greaterthan onehalf of the width of said bottom wall, each of said longitudinalpartition ports beingintegrally hinged by a bottom margin forming foldto the longitudinal partition portion of one of said paired andextensions but otherwise separated from the adjacent end extensions andsaid bottom wall.

7. A bottle carrier body formed from a single blank: of sheet materialincluding, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls ,foldably connected tothe opposite side edges of the bottom wall, a pair of end wall sectionsat each end of the carrier foldably connected to the adjacent ends ofsaid side walls and extending transversely of the carrier to a positionadjacent the longitudinal midsection of said bottom wall, it pair ofadjacent longitudinal partition portions foldably connected to one pairof adjacent end wall sections and extending inwardly and longitudinallyof the carrier, and an upwardly projecting longitudinal partition parthaving a height substantially greater than one-half of the width of saidbottom wall, said partition part being foldubly connected at the lowerend thereof to one of said paired partition portions and extendingsubstantially in parallelism with said paired partition portionslongitudinally of the carrier body along the approximate mid-section ofsaid bottom wall and providing with said partition portions 0; centerpartition section for the carrier body.

8. A bottle carrier body formed frmn a single blank of sheet materialincluding, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls foldably connected to theopposite side edges of the bottom wall, a pair of end wall sections ateach end of the carrier foldably connected to the adjacent ends of saidside walls and extending transversely of the carrier to to positionadjacent the longitudinal mid-section of said bottom wall, a pair ofadjacent longitudiual partition portions foldably connected to a pair ofsaid adjacent end wall sections and extending inwardly wndlongitudinally of the carrier, on upwardly projecting longitudinalpartition part having a height substantially greater than one-half ofthe width of said bottom wall, said partition part being foldablyconnected at the lower end thereof to one of said paired partitionportions and extending substantially in parallelism. with said pairedpartition portions longitudinally of the carrier body along theapproximate mid-section of said bottom wall and providin with saidpartition portions a center partition section for the carrier body, anda transverse partition jold ably connected to each of said side wallsand to said center partition section.

9. A bottle carrier body formed from a single blank of sheet materialincluding, a bottom wall, a. pair of side walls foldably connected tothe oppositc side edges of the bottom wall, apatr of end wall sectionsat each end of the carrier foldably connected to the adjacent ends ofsaid side walls and extending transversely of the can-13erto a positionadjacent the longitudinal mid-section of said bottom wall, a. pair ofadjacent longitudinal partition portions foldably connected to each pairof end wall sections and extending inw rdluand longitudinally of thecarrier, a. transverse partilion foldably connected to each of saidlongitudinal partition portions, and a securing portion lolddblyconnected to each transverse partition and attaclwd to the inside faceof the adjac nt side dull, and an upwardly projecting partition parthaving a height substantially greater than one-half of the width of saidbottom wall and integrally connected at the lower end thereof to one ofsaid paired partition portions, said partition part having a sectionthereof positioned between its associated pair of longitudinal partitionportions and a section thereof extending longitudinally of the carrierbody along the approximate mid-section of said bottom wall for asubstantial distance beyond the adjacent transverse partitions.

10. A bottle carrier body formed from a single blank of sheet materialincluding a bottom wall, a pair of side walls foldably connected to theopposite side edges of the bottom wall, a pair of end wall sections ateach end of the carrier ,foldably connected to the adjacent ends of saidside walls and extending transversely of the carrier to a positionadjacent the longitudinal mid-section of said bottom wall, a pair ofadjacent longitudinal partition portions foldably connected to each pairof end wall sections and extending inwardly and longitudinally of thecarrier, and an upwardly projecting longitudinal partition partassociated with each pair of longitudinal partition tions and integrallyhinged at the lower end thereof by a bottom margin forming fold to oneof its associated longitudinal partition portions, each of saidlongitudinal partition parts having a height substantially greater thanone-half the width of said bottom wall with a section thereofoverlapping th paired longitudinal partition portions with which it isassociated and a section thereof extending longitudinally of the carrierfor a substantial distance beyond its associated longitudinal partitionportions, the extended sections of said paired longitudinal partitionparts being arranged in overlapping relationship as the carrier isassembled.

11. A bottle carrier body formed from a single blank of sheet materialincluding, a bottom wall, a pair of s'de walls foldably connected to thepposite side edges of the bottom wall, a pair of end wall sections ateach. end of the carrier foldably connected to the adjacent ends of saidside walls and extending transversely of the carrier to a positionadjacent the longitudinal mid-section of said bottom wall, a pair oflongitudinal partition potions foldably connected to each pair of endwall sections and extending inwardly over the approximate mid-section ofsaid bottom wall, a transverse partition foldably connected to each ofsaid longitudinal partition portions, and an attaching portion foldablyconnected to each transverse partition and secured to the inside face ofth adjacent side wall, and an upwardly projecting longitudinal partitionpart associated with each pair of longitudinal partition portions andintegrally hinged by a bottom margin forming fold to one of itsassociated longitudinal partition portions, each of said longitudinalpartition parts having a section thereof positioned between the pairedlongitudinal partition portions with which it is associated and aprojecting section extending longitudinally of the carrier for asubstantial distance beyond its associated longitudinal partitionportion and the adjacent cross partitions, the projecting sections ofsaid longitudinal partition portions being arranged in overlappingrelationship as the carrier is assembled.

12. A carrier blank formed of sheet material including, a bottom wall, apair of side walls foldably connected to the opposite side edges of saidbottom wall, pair of spaced end extensions projecting from adjacent endsof said side walls, each of said end extensions including an end wallsection foldably connected to the end of the adjacent side wall and alongitudinal partition portion foldably connected to the end wallsection,

and a one-piece longitudinal center partition part separated from saidbottom wall and extending into the area between said spaced endextensions and having a width substantially greater than one-half of thewidth of said bottom wall, said longitudinal center partition part beingintegrally hinged by a bottom margin forming fold to the longitudinalpartition portion of one of said paired end extensions but otherwiseseparated from said end extension, said other end extension presenting afree lower edge for the full length thereof which is separated from saidcenter partition part and which does not extend appreciably into theplane as defined by a straight line continuation of the adjacent sideedge of said bottom wall, said longitudinal center partition part beingfoldable about said bottom margin forming fold into overlying relationto the longitudinal partition portion to which it is integrally hinged.

13. A one-piece bottle carrier blank formed of sheet material including,a bottom wall, a pair of side walls foldably connected to the oppositeside edges of said bottom wall, a pair of spaced end extensionsprojecting from adjacent ends of said side walls, each of said endextensions including an end wall section foldably connected to the endof the adjacent side wall, a longitudinal partition portion foldablyconnected to the end wall section and a cross partition foldablyconnected to the longitudinal partition portion, and a one-piecelongitudinal center partition part separated from said bottom wall andextending into the area between the longitudinal partition portions andassociated cross partitions of said spaced end extensions and having awidth substantially greater than one-half of the width of said bottomwall,

said longitudinal center partition part being integrally hinged by abottom margin forming fold to the longitudinal partition portion of oneof said paired end extensions but otherwise separated from said endextension, said other end extension presenting a free lower edge for thefull length thereof which is separated from said center partition partand which does not extend appreciably into the plane as defined by astraight line continuation of the adjacent side edge of said bottomwall, said longitudinal center partition part being foldable about saidbottom margin forming fold into overlying relation to the longitudinalpartition portion to which it is integrally hinged.

14. A one-piece bottle carrier blank formed of sheet material including,a bottom wall, a pair of side walls foldably connected to the oppositeside edges of said bottom wall, a pair of spaced end extensionsprojecting from adja-- cent ends of said side walls, each of said endextensions including an end wall section foldably connected to the endof the adjacent side wall,

a longitudinal partition portion foldably connected to the end wallsection, a cross partition foldably connected to the longitudinalpartition portion, and a side wall securing portion foldably connectedto the cross partition, and a onepiece longitudinal center partitionpart separated from said bottom wall and extending into the area betweenthe longitudinal partition portions and cross partitions of said spacedend extensions and having a width substantially greater 1 than one-halfof the width 0/ said bottom wall.

said longitudinal center partition part being integrally hinged by abottom margin formingfold to the longitudinal partition portion of oneof said paired end extensions, but otherwise separated from said endextension, said other end extension presenting a ,free lower edge forthe full length thereof which is separated from said center partitionpart and which does not extend appreciably into the plane as defined bya straight line continuation of the adjacent side edge of said bottomwall, said longitudinal center partition part being foldable about saidbottom margin forming fold into overlying relation to the longitudinalpartition portion to which it is integrally hinged.

15. A one-piece bottle carrier blank formed from sheet materialincluding, a bottom wall, a pair of side walls joldably connected to theopposite side edges of said bottom wall, a pair of spaced end extensionsprojecting from both ends of said side walls, each of said endextensions including an end wall section foldably connected to the endof the adjacent side wall and a longitudinal partition portion foldablyconnected to overlying relation to the longitudinal partition the endwall section, and a pair of longitudinal center partition parts eachseparated from said bottom wall and extending into the area between theadjacent spaced pair of end extensions and having a width substantiallygreater than onehalf of the width of said bottom wall, each of saidlongitudinal center partition parts being integrally hinged by a bottommargin forming fold to the longitudinal partition portion of one of saidpaired end extensions but otherwise separated from said end extension,said other adiacent end extension presenting a free lower edge for thefull length thereof which is separated from said center partition partand which does not extend appreciably into the plane as defined by astraight line continuation of the adjacent side edge of said bottomwall, each of said longitudinal center partition parts being foldableabout-said bottom margin forming fold into the end wall section and across partition joldably connected to the longitudinal partitionportion, and a one-piece longitudinal partition part separated from saidbottom wall and extending into the area between the longitudinalpartition portions and associated cross partitions of said spaced endextensions and having a width substantially greater than one-half of thewidth of said bottom wall, said longitudinal partition part beingintegrally hinged by a bottom margin forming ,fold to the longitudinalpartition portion of one of said paired end extensions but otherwiseseparated ffom said end extension, said longitudinal partition partbeing foldable about said bottom margin forming fold into overlyingcontacting relation to the longitudinal partition portion to which it isintegrally hinged.

References Cited in the file of this patent or the original patent I IUNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 681,885 Dominguez Sept. 3, 19011,157,712 Miller Oct. 26, 19.15 2,097,941 Wells Nov. 2, 1937 2,285,399Arneson June 9, 1942 2,300,874 De Ferrari Nov. 3, 1942 2,845,746

Goodyear Apr. 4, B44

